Kidman, Sir Sidney

Kidman, Sir Sidney,

1857–1935, Australian stockman, b. near Adelaide. He worked as a stockman and a drover in the outback of New South Wales before he began a business carting supplies to miners during the mining boom of the late 19th cent. He and his brother Sackville soon acquired other businesses, including cattle stations (ranches); after Sackville died (1899), Sidney continued the business as S. Kidman & Co. He eventually acquired 68 stations, with enormous herds of cattle and sheep. In 1904, when his holdings reached their greatest extent (c.115,000 sq mi/300,000 sq km), Kidman was known as the largest landowner in the British Empire. He was knighted in 1921 for his contributions to Australia during World War I.

Bibliography

See I. L. Idriess, The Cattle King (1936); J. Bowman, Kidman: The Forgotten King (1991).

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